Holistic care for a whole life...
KF XLife is a clinic focused on the provision of psychological input, with multi-disciplinary support, for men and boys with Klinefelter’s Syndrome and other chromosomal variants and their families.
Our KF XLife Mission:
To maximise potential, to flourish, to excel
We offer an individualised approach to care, offering continuity through the lifespan, recognising that each individual and family is unique, with different needs at different life stages.
Klinefelter Syndrome and Related Chromosomal Variants
Klinefelter Syndrome (47, XXY) is common, non-inherited condition affecting 1 in 500 males. Klinefelter’s Syndrome is well reported to have significant variability from individual to individual but is associated with a constellation of increased risks and vulnerabilities to heath and wellbeing. It is recognised that timely diagnosis can be the gateway to interventions and treatment which can improve outcomes and may benefit quality of life.
Care has often concentrated on the medical aspects of the condition (low testosterone levels, bone health, metabolic complications and infertility), but psychological support, when provided, has been reported to be beneficial by individuals and families. KF XLife aims to address this need.
There are a number of other related conditions, with different chromosomal variants (48,XXXY, 48,XXYY, 49,XXXXY and others) who experience similar health and wellbeing problems where similar provision can be beneficial.
What does KF XLife offer?
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1-to-1 individual appointments providing psychological support with a focus on:
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Well-being
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Education
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Employment
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Fertility
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Family
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Endocrinology input - we can provide assessment and advice for the medical, hormonal and fertility aspects of the condition.
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About Us
In January 2020, Dr Jennie Faithfull and Dr Umasuthan Srirangalingam set up the KF Xtra clinic at University College Hospital London (UCLH), offering an innovative integrated clinical approach to patients with Klinefelter’s Syndrome and other chromosomal variants. It is clear that there is insufficient provision of tailored psychological support for men and boys with KS and other variants. Thus, in an attempt to bridge this gap and make psychology support more accessible, we have set up the KF XLife clinic.
The KF XLife clinic was set up to provide integrated psychological and endocrinological care for Klinefelter’s Syndrome. We provide an age specific integrated, individualised approach to healthcare, alongside providing support for life (medical and well-being) issues and challenges.
Dr Jennie Faithfull is an Honorary psychologist at University College London Hospitals (UCLH) NHS Foundation Trust. She has a clinical and research interest in Klinefelter Syndrome. She has an MSc in Lifespan Neuropsychology. She has a Post Graduate Certificate in Education Practice and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She was awarded a PhD for research on the significance of diagnosis in Klinefelter Syndrome.
Her research and practice led her to set up KF Xtra, the multi-disciplinary clinic for the holistic management of Klinefelter Syndrome at UCLH with Dr Umasuthan Srirangalingam in 2020. Dr Faithfull has previously held research and academic teaching posts at Bournemouth University. She has worked with individuals and groups of young people, students and adults with KS and complex profiles in schools, higher education and clinical settings, supporting them with novel, bespoke and tailored programmes of educational, life skills and holistic support. Dr Faithfull has conceptualised, organised, curated and presented at conferences focusing on Klinefelter Syndrome, improving diagnosis rates, and complex communication disorders. Her specialist interests include Klinefelter Syndrome service (KF Xtra clinic), designing and offering tailored provision across the lifespan, specifically with KS in mind.
Dr Srirangalingam is a consultant physician in endocrinology and diabetes at University College London Hospitals (UCLH) NHS Foundation Trust. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1999 and completed specialist training at St Bartholomew’s Hospital. He gained an NIHR clinical lectureship in 2010 and was awarded a PhD in 2012 for work on novel treatments for hormonal disease. He has worked as a consultant since 2013. He was appointed at UCLH in 2016. He manages patients with all aspects of endocrine, diabetes and lipid disorders. His specialist interests include male infertility, congenital adrenal hyperplasia and Klinefelter Syndrome service (KF Xtra clinic) at UCLH.
Both Dr Faithfull and Dr Sriranglingam have close links with clinical and healthcare colleagues in London, the UK and internationally. They have co-authored a number of published manuscripts on the management of Klinefelter Syndrome and have spoken at local and national conferences.
Links:
Dr Umasuthan Sriranglingam
Consultant Endocrinologist
Dr Jennie Faithfull PhD. M.Sc. BA. PG Cert Ed. FHEA. CPsychol
Chartered Psychologist
To flourish, to excel
We are launching a Membership Group: KF 500.
The purpose of the group is to provide a hub for news, information and opportunities to access our resources.
Research and Publications:
Undertaking and supporting research into KS and other variants is a key focus and remains an ongoing endeavour for the team. We will update with any new developments.
'A Common Condition: A Rare Diagnosis?' What is the significance of diagnosis in Klinefelter's Syndrome (47,XXY)? Faithfull, J.
Klinefelter syndrome: going beyond the diagnosis.
Butler G, Srirangalingam U, Faithfull J, Sangster P, Senniappan S, Mitchell R.
Arch Dis Child. 2022 Aug 10:archdischild-2020-320831. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2020-320831. PMID: 35948402 Review.
Klinefelter syndrome-Considerations in management during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Qian S, Faithfull J, Sangster P, Butler G, Srirangalingam U.
Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2021 Jul 26:10.1111/cen.14553. doi: 10.1111/cen.14553. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34309060
(Disclaimer: This search is powered by PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. PubMed is a third-party website with no affiliation with KF XLife)